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Funding Overseas Contingency Ops, and More from CRS

06.14.16 | 1 min read | Text by Steven Aftergood

The use of the “overseas contingency operations” budget construct to circumvent limits on discretionary spending was examined in a report from the Congressional Research Service published yesterday.

“Some DOD officials argue that this funding approach is essential to enable a timely military response to a dynamic enemy operating in a complex battlespace,” the CRS report said. “Critics however, have described the DOD’s continued use of the OCO/GWOT account as creating a ‘slush fund’ for military spending.” See Overseas Contingency Operations Funding: Background and Status, June 13, 2016.

Other new and updated reports from the Congressional Research Service include the following.

Athletic Footwear for the Military: The Berry Amendment Controversy, CRS Insight, June 10, 2016

The Open Skies Treaty: Issues in the Current Debate, CRS Insight, June 10, 2016

FY2017 Appropriations for the Department of Justice, updated June 9, 2016

Membership of the 114th Congress: A Profile, updated June 10, 2016

Mass Shootings and Terrorism: CRS Products, June 13, 2016

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